Rachel's New Direction
by crescentgaia
Summary: Considering that nobody wanted her at school, Rachel decided to give her classmates what they wanted.  It just meant that her life was going to get better after she left.  Spoilers for everything that's aired already.
1. Chapter 1

_I do not own Glee or any of the characters. Please enjoy._

Rachel woke up on the Monday after Sectionals. She stayed in her curled up ball, not wanting to go to school. This had been a trend ever since they had gotten back and she had broken up with Finn. She dreaded school – for the looks he gave her, for the smug way Santana looked, and how everyone hated her.

_Would anybody notice me if I'm gone?_

The thought just touched the back of her mind before it grew into a plan. She had a bag packed – it was her just in emergencies bag. She got up and went over to where she was keeping some spare money before she put it into her savings account. She touched the fake ID that Puck had given her when they were first trying to go together and took it out as well. She realized that she had over two hundred in cash alone from the different babysitting jobs that she did. She worked quickly, getting the money into her purse and making sure she had her regular ID and the fake one. It was one of the few days that she was glad that her dads went to work early. She wrote out the different notes that she wanted to leave and put on her clothes for the day. She took the emergency backpack that was now full of other things and more clothes before looking back at her room.

_Nobody will care._

She left the room, slamming the door behind her as she did so. She walked slowly to school, as it wasn't far away from her house. She kept her head down, weaving her way through the different students, not even looking up as she heard her name called.

"What's up her butt today?" She heard Tina ask.

"Probably the same diva stick as always," she heard Mercedes answer with the chuckle.

She went to her locker and opened it, looking at what was inside. She moved her hand through what was there; grabbing the necklace that Finn had given her. She jumped as she heard a knock on her open locker door and looked to see that it was Puck. "What?" She asked.

"You look like someone who's going to off themselves," Puck pointed out as he looked at her and then down at her backpack. "What's with the oversized bag?"

"Lots of homework last night considering my social calendar is open," Rachel said with a shrug. "Why do you care?"

"Guess I don't," Puck said before moving in front of Rachel and glaring down the three football players with open slushies.

"Thanks," Rachel said as she saw the football players slush Mike and Artie. "Ouch," she said quietly.

"You're welcome," Puck said and turned to look at her. "Do you want me to talk to Finn?"

Rachel shook her head no, moving a bit of hair out of her eyes. She moved and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

Puck looked confused at her but nodded a yes. "Alright," he said as he waited until the warning bell. "Don't be late," he said with a grin as he quickly went to his own class.

"Okay," Rachel said with a smile as she got out the different notes from her bag. She quickly went to the different lockets, leaving the notes that she had for her Glee members in them. She left two in Finn's, knowing that he would get the last note to Mister Shue. She quickly left McKinley High School and waved over one of the cabs that let off one of the Middle Eastern students. "Sir – would you take me to Dalton Academy?"

"Yeah," the driver said as he motioned for Rachel to get into the backseat. He took her to Dalton Academy, taking a bit of extra money as she asked him to wait.

"Thank you," Rachel said as she got out and went to the front office. "Excuse me," she said politely to the woman behind the desk.

"Oh – yes dear?" The woman asked, looking a bit confused at Rachel. "How can I help you?"

"I – I have – sorry, I need to see Kurt Hummel, please," Rachel replied. "Could he be called out of class?"

"Yes – they're just in homeroom," the woman said and got on the intercom to do so.

"Thanks," Rachel said as she went to sit on a bench to wait for Kurt. She didn't see him enter and then come over to her.

"Rachel?" Kurt asked, looking confused.

Rachel looked up. "Hi," she said. "I – I was going to leave you a note, but I couldn't just put it in a locker and I wanted to thank you."

"Thank me for what?" Kurt asked. "And why aren't you at McKinley?"

"I'm leaving for New York," Rachel replied. "I applied for Julliard a while ago. I just got a letter and a full scholarship to go. My dads didn't want me to, but they don't know all that's happening at school. I don't want to stay there another minute, so I'm leaving."

"Okay…" Kurt said as he processed this. "What happened?"

"Finn and I broke up because I was stupid," Rachel said as she blinked back tears. "I held him losing his virginity to Santana and so I used Puck and just – I am a horrible human being."

Kurt moved and hugged her, something that he never thought he would be doing. "You're not," he said quietly. "You're just – well, you're like me. We're both divas, Rachel. There's nothing wrong with that. We just need to learn to let go of that."

"It's harder when everyone hates you," Rachel said. "You know I'm right."

"Yeah," Kurt said quietly as he let go of the hug. "I need to get to class but good luck. Did you tell anybody else where you're going?"

"No," Rachel replied. "Feel free to tell them if you're asked."

"Thanks," Kurt said as he got off the bench and then Rachel did. "Good luck, Broadway brat."

"Do one more thing for me, Kurt," Rachel said. "Crush New Directions in Regionals," she said as she turned and walked out of Dalton before he had a chance to say no. She had the cab driver take her to the airport where she paid him for his time. She then bought a plane ticket, not caring that she had just used a lot of her money to get out of Ohio.


	2. Chapter 2

Finn was a bit worried about Rachel. He hadn't seen her all day; even though he knew that she was in school. He had wanted to go talk to her but decided not to in order to make things end easier. The problems they were having hurt more by her trying to force them together, so he went to avoiding her. He thought that was the easiest and he could see that other football players were taking his lead. He didn't think that was odd, even though he did see Mercedes with Slushie all over her. He opened his locked and picked up something that floated out of his locker. He raised an eyebrow as he saw his name in Rachel's handwriting. He sighed and looked completely confused when he saw another note but with Mr. Shue's name. He was about to open it when Santana came up to him.

"You need to tell your stalker to not leave notes in my locker like we're in fifth grade," Santana snapped at him and threw the ball of paper at him. "If she needs an attitude adjustment, I'm going to give it to her!"

"Santana, calm down," Quinn said as she came up behind Santana with Sam. "We both got a note too. It's a bit of a form letter. She's sorry for being such a drama queen, she hopes that we'll forgive her, blah blah blah. It's typical Rachel format."

"It's childish," Santana said. "And it's going to take up more time because everyone's going to be talking about it." She paused and thought for a moment. "Think this means she's dead?"

"Santana!" Finn said, glaring at her.

"What?" Santana said with a shrug. "It wouldn't be a great loss."

"For Rachel to be gone? Yeah, it is," Puck said as he came up, holding a folded up letter. "We need to go talk to Mr. Shue."

"She's got a note for him too," Finn said quietly as he pulled it out of his locker.

"She was here first period," Puck said as they all turned to go to the Glee Club room after Finn closed his locker. "She was carrying a big backpack with her. I thought it was just extra homework, but she could have easily been running away."

"You would know," Santana said as she opened the door and there was nobody else there. "Where is everyone?"

"Helping Mercedes get out Slushie," Artie replied from behind them, being rolled in by Brittany. "Mike and Tina got hit too. So it might be a while."

Finn nodded at Artie, moving over where the drums were set up. He unfolded his note, hearing something drop to the floor. He picked up the necklace he had given Rachel, looking it over before putting it in his pocket. He unfolded the note, not even noticing the other people coming into the room.

_Finn – I know that we've had good times and bad times. I've loved the good times with you and I'm sorry about the bad times. I know that I've been the problem in our relationship for wanting too much and taking slights too far. It took me a while to realize that, but you should know that you helped me with that. You helped me realize that I am, on a good day, a diva. And on a bad day, I am a bitch. I know that now and I know that you and New Directions are a lot better without me. More people will be able to shine without me there and you'll be able to find someone better than me. _

_I love you and I do hope that you believe that. I'll remember you, no matter where I am. ~Rachel_

Finn read the note over again before sitting down heavily in a chair. He didn't even hear Mr. Shue come in until Puck came over to him. "Don't," he whispered.

"Don't what, dude?" Puck asked. "I'm just coming over to get the letter you said Rachel left."

Finn looked up and saw that the other members were in the room and all looking at him. "Sure, sorry," he said quietly as he dug it out. He looked down at the floor, folding up Rachel's note before he put it in the same pocket with the necklace. He didn't even hear what Mr. Shue was saying before he looked up at hearing his name. "Sorry, Mr. Shue?"

"Considering everyone has gotten a note, fancy going with me to talk to Kurt?" Will asked. He had noticed that Finn was looking a bit differently than everyone else and it would give him a chance to talk. "Mercedes, you're in charge of practice today. Start thinking of song choices."

"Sure, Mr. Shue," Mercedes said with a grin as Shue and Finn left to go talk to Kurt.

Kurt was sitting in one of the common room areas, just reading a book. He looked up from the book as Blaine sat down. He went back to his book for a moment before he noticed that Blaine was staring. He put down the book. "Another staring contest then?"

"You'd just win again," Blaine said with a grin. "I'm worried about your friend who was here earlier."

"Rachel? She'll be fine," Kurt replied with a shrug. "She really does have a scholarship. I just don't think they'll take her now, but she'll figure out when she gets there. And then she'll come back and everything will go back to the way it does in her life." He thought on that for a moment as he thought about the way he had treated Rachel in the past. "Even if she doesn't want to come back."

"She was bullied as well?" Blaine asked quietly as he took Kurt's hand.

Kurt nodded a yes. "Even worse – I did some of it," he said quietly. "It's not done to the level that it was done to me but – "

"But it's still bullying," Blaine finished for him and smiled.

"Yeah," Kurt replied. "If I was in her shoes, I wouldn't want to come back either."

"Come back from where?" Finn asked as he came into the room. "Mr. Shue had to go speak to one of the teachers – old friend from college. Where did Rachel go?"

"She went to New York," Kurt said as he looked up at Finn. "And sorry – Finn, this is Blaine. Blaine, this is my stepbrother Finn."

"Oh, your boyfriend," Finn said with a grin. "It's really good to meet you."

Kurt blushed at hearing that as Blaine grinned. "And it's good to meet you, Finn," Blaine said. "You're in the Glee club too?"

"Yeah," Finn said. "And football. But, sorry – Why would Rachel go to New York?"

"She got a scholarship to Juilliard," Kurt explained.

"What's that?" Finn asked.

"A very prestigious performing arts conservatory," Blaine replied.

"Oh," Finn said, looking confused.

"It's a very good college for anyone who wants to make their life about music, dance, or something of the like," Kurt explained to Finn.

"So I need to go there," Finn said.

"Actually, I wouldn't," Kurt said. "They're probably not going to let her in right now, considering she doesn't have her high school degree. She'll be back within a few days, more than likely. I would wait her out."

"And what if she doesn't?" Finn asked.

"Then I would go or tell her parents about it," Kurt said. "If they don't know by now. They probably do."

"Right," Finn said and smiled. "Thanks Kurt. And it was good to meet you, Blaine."

"Same to you, Finn," Blaine said with a smile.

Finn nodded a yes and went to go find Mr. Shue. He explained what he had found out from Kurt and they made a second stop at Rachel's home. Finn wasn't surprised that the parents already knew and were just going to wait it out as they expected her home soon anyways. The only thing Finn did was go into Rachel's room and leave the necklace for her to find when she came home.

**Author's Note: **Wow! Thank you everyone who is reading. I am sorry that I could only get this chapter out now. I've been under the weather and doing family things around the Holidays. I plan to have another chapter up before New Years and I'm not sure how long this will go. Thanks everyone for being patient and your feedback – it helps a lot.


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